Proposed tower at former Tatnuck playground raises concern

Wednesday

Jun 12, 2013 at 6:00 AM

By Nick Kotsopoulos TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

City officials are looking into whether the site of a proposed 90-foot-high communications tower on Tory Fort Lane in the Tatnuck area has a deed restriction that set aside the front of the property as a playground.

Residents of the Tory Fort Lane area petitioned the City Council Tuesday night, seeking information about a playground they contend was part of that property for more than 50 years but no longer exists.

As part of National Grid’s smart grid pilot program, it wants to install and operate so-called “WiMAX” and microwave antennas on a 10-foot mast extension attached to a new 80-foot-high lattice tower that would be built at the Cooks Pond substation at 30 Tory Fort Lane.

The new tower, which will replace an existing 55-foot-high wooden pole at the substation, is part of communications infrastructure National Grid wants to construct at four electric substations so data about the electrical grid system can be passed along throughout various parts of the city.

The much larger tower proposed at the Cooks Pond substation has drawn strong opposition from neighborhood residents.

John Dick, who has lived on Tory Fort Lane for 15-1/2 years, said the front of the substation was always used and maintained as a neighborhood playground when it was owned by Massachusetts Electric Co.

But he said National Grid converted the property into a construction site and the playground no longer exists.

Mr. Dick raised questions about what happened to the playground and the appropriateness of National Grid’s plans to build a 90-foot tower in the middle of what is a residential area.

Susan Thurston, a longtime resident of Tory Fort Lane, challenged the City Council to protect the neighborhood and find other options for National Grid’s tower.

She said the electric substation itself has since grown to twice the size of what it originally was, and she added that National Grid has not been a good neighbor.

“There are houses all around this substation,” Ms. Thurston said. “A 90-foot tower is a completely tight fit for a residential area like this. It should remain a playground.”

Councilor-at-Large Frederick C. Rushton asked the city administration to check into whether a deed restriction was included when the property was turned over to Mass Electric more than 50 years ago.

“This has pretty much been a park all these years; I encourage the people at National Grid to listen to the neighbors,” Mr. Rushton said.

Contact Nick Kotsopoulos at nkotsopoulos@telegram.com

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.